Pages

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Decrapification: The office

Every year around this time I start tackling the clutter CRAP in our house. It takes a few weeks for me to get into it. I need to get my mind switched off from the holidays and it takes a while for the piles of crap to reeeeally start getting to me. OK, they always get to me, it’s just whether or not my get-off-yer-booty kicks in and I finally decide to address them.

As much as the basement is giving me the heebies right now, I am making myself hold off on that space till the rest of the house is decluttered. There are constant piles by the basement steps for a few months as I go through each room. Then, when it’s all done, I let myself go after the pit down there. I’m so psyched to get that space even more livable for us this year, I’m trying to get through the rest of the house even quicker!

Last night, the office was calling my name. It is now the one and only room that is completely decluttered and clean and I lurve it! I started by going through every bin in the room. Up till yesterday, I had a bunch of little cigar boxes holding random junk, plus at least four other baskets and bins. As I started sorting through all of the holders-o-crap, I realized it had been ummm….never since I had used most of it. Did I really need three staplers? Five letter openers? Forty-five pencils?

Three glue sticks?

When I have used a glue stick…uhhhh…NEVER? Well, not since third grade.

Glad I bought tape for Christmas wrapping. Already had FIVE in the office:

Yesterday morning, I was at the store and bought more correcting tape. Last night, I realized I had four more already sitting at the bottom of a bin:

Can you puuuuhleeze say it with me? WASTE. OF. MONEY. Oh, and I’m sure I’ll use up the thousands of staples sometime before the year 2020:

Or the 34 notepads:

Ahem. Seriously. I am a declutterer and this is what I had sitting in there. Gah.

I got rid of most of the bins and baskets on the desk. It feels fantastic!:

I asked myself what I really need within reach at the desk. Writing utensils and something to write on and that’s it! Done.

For storage, I kept a basket, and took some photo boxes I had and those now comfortably hold everything else I need – tape, label maker (swoon!), electronics, etc:

I have ROOM on the shelves! :)

I have a major issue with paper in our house. I let it pile up and even put a humongo basket out just so I could pile endless amounts of mail and paper crap in it. Needless to say, piling things two feet deep doesn’t really scream organization. ;)

I got rid of the basket and now use a decorative box in the family room – I’ve been making myself go through every piece of mail that comes in the house immediately and anything that needs to be filed goes straight in the box.

I found the two categories of paper I had piled up most were things the Bub brings home (it’s just preschool and it’s already out of control!) and items I file away in the basement for long term use – keepsake items, instruction manuals, basically that stuff you don’t know what the heck to do with. :) So I found simple $6 containers at my most hated favorite place, Walmart:

They sit on the top of the bookshelf so there’s no excuse not to put the stinking stuff away!! Once they are full, I’ll be forced to take them to their home and file them away for good. That’s the plan anyway. Let’s see if it works. ;) I have a plan to make super cute labels for my newly decluttered bookshelf.

All the extras I found are going down to the basement – all in one spot, so I know where the heck to look when I need something! And don’t buy more! Stop yelling Sarah! ARGH!

Then, the deep cleaning started – I move (most) everything away from the walls and use the vacuum to get in that area right between the molding and carpet, where all the itty bitties and cat hair hide. (Anyone else hate that area?!):

Then I wipe down the baseboards if they need it.

I dust everything, including art on the walls, and the little crevices of knick knacks that won’t get cleaned again till next year:

I clean up any spots on the carpet I’ve been ignoring for a year. ;) And then do the basics like dusting, window cleaning, etc.

I moved a bookcase to a different spot in here just for a change and it left ruts in the carpet. An easy trick to help raise those spots up is to let ice melt on them:

I have been known to use a hair dryer to hurry up the process. :)

It still works but not quite as great as just leaving the ice alone. After it melts and dries, fluff it up a bit and it usually looks as good as new!

Ahhh…a clean, decrapified space is one of my very, very favorite things!!

It lasted all of three minutes and then the Bub made his mark again. But I had my three minutes!

There is something freeing about decluttering a space. Once you do it – you’ll be hooked! I learned a long time ago that no matter what your living situation – be it a dorm room, a teeny tiny apartment, or a huge house – if it is free of the CRAP, it will make you feel more in control of your life. It will free your mind! It’s a GREAT feeling.

Your post made me laugh. Too funny! I need some decrappifying in my office too (as I look around at piles of magazines, clothes (why are clothes in my office?), and a Twinkie wrapper (mid-afternoon meltdown!)

ahhh...I am GOING to attack something this weekend...since it's a LONG one...do I start big? the crap, oh I meant scrap room or small the living room, then dining room...I must do my own post on this one...I could go on for DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS!!!

I have started a major decrapification project with our study/office/exercise room. A friend of mine started a new organization business, and I hired her! Now all I have left to do in that room is to get my husband to hang the big shelf his grandpa made above our desk his dad made (cool, huh?), and get our curtains hung, and I'll be well on my way to one room that's done. After that all I have to tackle are the book case cabinets in the den, the kids' closets, my closet, the walk-in attics, and the cabinets in the laundry walk-through (it's not a room, rather the space which connects the back porch to the rest of the house...UGH!)I don't know how long it will take me, but I'll get it done one of these days. I love, love, love reading your blog and getting so much inspiration. Your ideas are terrific!Blessings,Christy

There must be something in the air! I have been decrapifying for the last week! Check out my last 2 posts and you will see! I love your office space it looks great!!! Nice job, and thanks for the fab tip on the ruts in the carpet!

I am constantly sorting, tossing and cleaning around the house. And 4 other people seem to follow me around and place their crap on my nice empty surfaces- apparently they scream "put something on me!"

I have been decrapifying to prepare for an invasion of two college girls moving back in with us for a couple of weeks now.

I got it all done, well I got their room cleaned out and ready to go. Then the girls called (insert ba, ba, ba, dum, music here) One is now moving to Colorado and the other found a cooler place to live.

Now I have an empty craft room to refill! The best part was that I did find the 5 yards of tulle that I was searching for before Christmas.

I have been decrapifying to prepare for an invasion of two college girls moving back in with us for a couple of weeks now.

I got it all done, well I got their room cleaned out and ready to go. Then the girls called (insert ba, ba, ba, dum, music here) One is now moving to Colorado and the other found a cooler place to live.

Now I have an empty craft room to refill! The best part was that I did find the 5 yards of tulle that I was searching for before Christmas.

I started decrapping my bedroom and found all this cool craft stuff, so now I have about 5 new projects on the go and my dining table looks like craft club central! I'm having fun though and the crap in my bedroom will all be there waiting for me when the declutter bug hits again.Angex

This morning! My life is really crazy right now, but I started to clean out my sons closet (the black hole). It feels great knowing that I have started. I know there is tons more, but one step at a time!

HOLY MOLY! I am loving you for the tip about melting ice on carpet to remove "dents" as I like to call them! They. Drive. Me. Insane.(like cords drive you insane...mmm hmm, it's serious) Can't wait to try it out!

That has to be the Best WORD...DECRAPIFICATION!!!LOVE IT!!HAHAHAyou did good hun..inspiring me to do the same..I'm such a hoarder though!!EEK!I'm having a giveaway on my blog, would love for you to visit xxxxAnnie x

I'm a clutterer by nature but definitely am feeling the urge to clear junk out. For all the preschool artwork, etc. I have a magazine file that I store it in next to my scanner & computer. Once a month I scan it all in, & then store in a file. At the end of the school year, I put the all the artwork on cdrom. I have a scrapbook where I print out 1 fave per month 4x6 and put in it. The originals get thrown out or mailed to extended family after being scanned.

If decrapification is not a recognized word, I want to be on your petition to have it put in the books! Great word because that's really what it is! I have to do this same thing. I don't have too much stuff out because we had our house on the market and it has to go back on {soon}. Papers are another story altogether and I have a two-tier wicker basket thingy on the counter in a corner of our kitchen that I HAVE to go through. I'm sure most of it is just junk that my hubby put in it. I am inspired by you though and maybe I'll tackle at least one room this weekend!

SO true about how freeing "decrapifying" can be !! I'm sure you've jump started many of us to either get started or continue getting our humble abodes organized ... THANKS !! Take care, Becca (Adventures in Decorating)

must be the time of year, but everytime I turn around I want to organize something. I have HUGE job to do in my storage room in the basement. Going out on the weekend to get clear boxes this time ... I think it helps to see what is in there in addition to a label.

OMG decrapifying is my motto these days too! I did a post on exactly this a couple days ago. You should read it and you will seed my leaning paper pile of pisa! I am so like you. I go to the store and purchase tape or pens and find out that I already had 7 rolls of tape and a surplus of pens hiding.

Oh how I needed to read this post! I'm at a complete loss as to how to keep our office/craftroom/guestroom clutter free & organized. I like to keep things, especially b/c I'm an avid scrapbooker as well & keep lots of paper :-/ This post encourages me to sort through everything & get rid of what I don't need! :-)

I hate CRAP. We are all pack rats. I have decided just to concentrate on my CRAP and may be everyone else will follow. My daughter is the worse. Everyone gives us stuff they don't want...my sisters all have clean houses that are clutterfree...Mary's room is so full of CRAP that I took it all out and shoved it up in the attic.

1. Best. post title. ever. (Love it!)2. Had NO idea about the ice on the carpet...very cool! Do you think it would work on Berber?3. Your baseboard photo showed me how in need my kitchen ones are of a new paint job. :s4. My little one is having her 2nd bday party tomorrow, so major decluttering is going on here today! Wish me luck. :)

No, I haven't started yet but I want to! Right now. After I finish teaching the kids and run a few miles I WILL START! I concur on the "decrapification" word in the dictionary thing! So aptly describes the situation! I am a little disappointed that you have no "Before" picture but it certainly looks lovely now!

Ok..so my plan this weekend is to declutter my office/craftroom! I am hoping to get some stuff to organize with today! I just can't stand it anymore..I may even post pictures of the before...even though...it is SO SCARY! LOL!

We don't have a whole office, but we do have a computer desk, with drawers, and a "filing box" which mostly just has piles of paper in it right now. This area could definitely use some attention from me!

I could totally use some of your mojo right about now. My house is driving me CRAZY!! with all the decrapification that needs to happen in it. I'm pregnant and nesty and soo bone tired I don't have the energy after work to get to the things that are driving me up the wall. I hope to find some of your mojo and start on something soon. Thanks for the inspiration!

Yes, I've started (planning) by decrapification of my home office! I just got some of these decorative bankers boxes: http://bit.ly/8HEq1l- mine were from Target and cute black & white. I plan to keep all of my "stacks" of papers in there next to my desk instead of piled up to overflowing on a chair!

I recently went on a rampage too! I decrapified my daughters room, ensuite bath and organized the kitchen. Sooo much better now. I may tackle my office this weekend. I wonder what treasures I'll find in there.

blogs like yours are what motivate me to get off my butt (and away from my computer!) and to start tackling my 5 bedroom, 3 living room home with lots of potential... i have so many plans, but lack the know-how to keep up on everything! thanks for the inspiration!!

I have started! It's really been so freeing. My husband is living away from home for the next two months while he goes to trade school. I've been taking advantage of the opportunity to purge and organize and clean. He came home for the weekend and was really impressed. This week I tackle his desk area so I grabbed a lot of inspiration from your post. Funny thing about glue sticks - we have millions of them - but never seem to have enough. I use them for scrapbooking and hubby uses them to glue his pay stubs in a binder so he can keep track of his work hours. Haha, we're always fighting over them!

I just found your blog recently and love everything so far! I was wondering about the photo board that is hanging on one of the walls above your desk. I love the size of it! Did you make it or buy it somewhere? Do tell!

I love your blog! It has helped me out a LOT. I am decorating impaired.I have a tip that works for me with paper clutter. I like to scan all the papers and pictures my kids give me throughout the year. We keep a few of them in a binder and then toss most of them or send them to family and friends as birthday/special occasion cards.

Then I burn a cd at the end of the year and file the cd away. It really cuts down on the paper clutter with 4 kids.

I completely agree... when my space is organized and clutter-free (or at least less cluttered) my mind feels more organized and I feel like I can breathe more easily. It's kind of crazy how that works.

My "problem" space right now is my office. The major issue is that I don't have a place for everything/anything. I'm getting lots of inspiration though!

That is so funny that you posted something about this because this is all I've been doing when I'm not working and have a spare minute! It's amazing and feels so good! Thanks for inspiring me to keep going!

Gawd yes...I so understand!! It's at this time of year that I go through this very thing, wanting to slimline the house. Hubby always shudders, but he helps, and in the long run we feel better. We are so careful about what comes in (except me and where art supplies are concerned - I use lots of glue stick lol) that I don't understand how it accumulates like it does.

Yep, I'm doing something similar in our house as we prepare to move. Please consider donating all your unwanted office supplies to your local women's shelter, animal shelter, or charity of your choice. So many places can use staples, glue sticks, and post it notes!

Decrapification -- love it!My brain doesn't function when things are in turmoil. My DH is a pack rat. This year I'm just going to start taking the dust-collecting crap and slowly donate it to the thrift store on our military base -- the money that the store generates goes back into the military community so I am happy to support that. It's so easy to just "buy another" cuz it's too hard to find the one you know you have "somwehere" -- that's my problem!

I am so glad to hear that someone else struggles with the piles of paper and stuff! That is the one thing I hope to conquer this year! I have also been taking an area at a time and getting back to function and what makes sense. Right now, I have been working in my laundry room - next stop is the playroom. Thanks for the inspiration!

Because of our current situation all of our possessions are in storage. We finally be moving at the end of the month; however the place is smaller than what we use to have. I told the hubs anything we haven’t used in a year is going bye bye, (throw away or donate)Can’t wait to start the cleaning decrapification!!!

January is THE time of year to DECLUTTER for me. The holidays are behind us and the weather (here) is cold & snowy...so what ELSE is there to do? Although, I still have our decorations up...until next week. (We hadn't finished until Christmas Eve!) I am tackling my much neglected craft studio that ended up being a catch-all room. It is taking some time and mental energy but it is getting there. Yay! Love your blog and your humor...you make me laugh! ;) (the1829farmhouse.blogspot.com)

It's pouring outside and I'm bored, but I have a 5 month old with the flu, so she's keeping me pretty busy, but I need to do something else. I just read your post and now I've got the itch. Think I'm going to start on my bedroom. Wish I could rearrange the furniture, but it's heavy and I'm limited on space since there is a playpen in there. Wish me luck. I'm super excited!

decrapification. Love that! I'm totally going to steal that for my post tonight because it describes perfectly what I did most of today. I'll give you a shout out on my blog! And your office looks gorgeous!

So I read this post a couple of days ago via cell phone (which meant no pictures) and I was completely inspired. The addition of your pictures make it that much more real/funny/inspiring. You have a beautiful home. I think I have been reading your blog for a year now. I got hooked on your organizational post last year. It has been a fun year keeping current with your blog. You are so funny and talented both in decorating and writing!

Sarah - Great post :-). I remembered to take pictures of my decraptification. Now I just need to create a blog so I can "play" on Monday. Also, I have a tip for you - instead of saving BUB's stuff, take a digital picture of it. I have three kids and the paper is OUT OF CONTROL in our house. Of course I still save my favorites, but it has definitely helped keep the kid's projects down to a minimum.

Thanx for all the great ideas and inspiration, but especially for the ice on the carpet idea - we just moved and I really was frustrated with it. I'll try it and let you know what it does on ugly berber ;-0

The office is always one of our most cluttered spaces, and I hate it! We just use it as a place to throw all our papers and mail that need to be dealt with (but not immediately). We started de-cluttering it last weekend actually, and we still have a ways to go, but it's looking better. I'm looking forward to actually being able to utilize it without cringing at the mess!

ahhhh I've been decrapifying my house all weekend-feels great!Nw, I must ask because for the life of me I cannot find it on here now-but I swear you'd mentioned white cord hiders on a post not too long ago....and I'm going nuts trying to find them around here. can I ask where you found yours? Thanks!

As a professional organizer, I'm eager to start sharing the word "decrapification" with my clients. It definitely denotes that we don't need to take the clutter (or the process) so seriously. Thanks for sharing the word...and the ice cube trick. I leave furniture in place for dozens of years at a time for just this carpet-crevice annoyance, so I'll have to try the ice.

Sarah, my office is going to take more than decrapifying, lol..its going to take a bulldozer....just the shredding is a nightmare, but I AM going to get through it before the end of the month..I need to give myself deadlines or nothing gets done. Your office is looking great, girl!

Oh.my.gosh. I love your site and your ideas! Decrapification is a lovely word. I'm a teacher and can't stand it when a pencil is out of place on my desk. Don't get me wrong, I'm not always organized. But it took me 5 years to get things "decrapified" and on to neater things. It even helps my students!